Francois - A Dene Suline Elder and Indigenous rights and environmental activist - takes us on a journey of knowledge, starting 1491 the year before the arrival of Europeans, all the way to the present issues related to Alberta's Tar Sands and associated climate change.

He reminds us that life and water are sacred and that we must have respect for them if we are to avoid the "strange happenings" we are seeing around us.

Francois' efforts to protect his home lands and community were recently featured in the CBC Nature of Things documentary "The Tipping Point".

More information about the conference, held in conjunction with The Canadian Society for Circumpolar Health, can be viewed online at:

This speech navigates the global and local level decision-making and impacts of climate change, weaving together human rights, ecological and governance issues, all within Siila's unique indigenous women's perspective.